Golegã 2026
November 6th - November 15th, 2026
Golegã, Portugal
We’re going to be conveniently situated at Largo Marquês de Pombal, same as last year, as indicated by the map. You’ll quickly be able to find us by locating Golegã Equustur and entering the gate to the left of it.
Keep scrolling for general info about the event.
Come visit us at our 27th appearence in the International Lusitano Horse Fair, we’re sure you’re not going to regret paying us a visit!
We’ll have our splendid new Foals and Fillies on display!
On this webpage, you’ll find everything you need to fully enjoy the Golegã Horse Fair. Whether you're looking for:
It's all conveniently available. There's also additional information on local restaurants and useful contacts to help you plan your visit to Golegã. You’ll be fully prepared to experience one of the most iconic equestrian events, from start to finish!
Click on any of the underlined sections if you’re looking for a specific subject or simply scroll down.
The Golegã Horse Fair, also known as the Feira Nacional do Cavalo or the Feira de São Martinho, is one of the most prestigious equestrian events in the world. Held annually in November in the small town of Golegã, Portugal, this 10-day fair celebrates the Lusitano horse, Portugal’s most famous horse breed. The fair coincides with Saint Martin's Day on November 11th, which traditionally includes cultural festivities such as roasting chestnuts and drinking new wine in a feast known as Magusto. In 2026 the fair celebrates its 50th edition, alongside the 27th International Lusitano Horse Fair, under a new name: Caixa Golegã – Feira Nacional do Cavalo. It has also been added to Portugal’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The event has evolved from a local agricultural fair to an internationally renowned equestrian gathering. It features a wide range of activities, including dressage, show jumping, carriage driving, and working equitation. Both professional riders and enthusiasts showcase the Lusitano horse's amazing versatility, beauty, and skill. Traditional Portuguese costumes, riding styles, and equipment are prominently displayed throughout the event.
Visitors can expect a lively mix of tradition and modern equestrian sport. The town square is transformed into a bustling hub where people ride their horses or carriages around a circular track, creating a vibrant atmosphere. Golegã itself, a small town of around 5,400 inhabitants (2021), swells with attendees during the fair, with over 150,000 to 200,000 people attending in recent years.
Below is a graph showcasing the estimated attendance numbers for the Golegã Horse Fair from the year 2010 to 2025. The data highlights the event's steady growth over the past fifteen years, reflecting its increasing international recognition and cultural significance within the equestrian world.
The fair offers a chance for visitors to immerse themselves in Portuguese equestrian heritage, and it attracts breeders, trainers, and horse lovers from around the world.
Sources: Lusitano Horse Finder, Visit Portugal, Equestrian EscapeThe full schedule for the 2026 edition of the International Lusitano Horse Fair has been released by the officials and can be located here.
The full schedule can also be found bellow:
November 6th (Friday)
08:00 Special National Show Jumping Competition – Events from 1.00m to 1.30m (Hippos Golegã – High Performance Center)
10:00 Portuguese Working Equitation Cup – Dressage Event (Main Central Arena)
10:00 VII FNC Veterans Tennis Tournament – Qualifying Round (Golegã Tennis Court)
15:30 National Horse Driving Championship – Dressage Event (Hippos Golegã – High Performance Center)
17:00 Unveiling of the Lusitano Monument “Golegã” by Francisco Salter Cid (next to the Turf)
18:30 Opening of the bullfighting painting and sculpture exhibition “De Campo e Praça” (Manuel dos Santos Museum – Immaculate Conception Square)
21:30 Presentation of the Charanga and the Reprise of the National Republican Guard (Main Central Arena)
November 7th (Saturday)
07:00 Departure of the Endurance Competitions: Portugal Cup; CEI* 100 km; CEP 80 km; CEP 40 km (Hippos Golegã – High Performance Center)
08:00 Special National Show Jumping Competition – Events from 0.50m to 1.30m (Hippos Golegã – High Performance Center)
09:00 Portuguese Working Equitation Cup – Maneuverability Event (Main Central Arena)
09:00 VII FNC Veterans Tennis Tournament – Main Draw and Finals (Golegã Tennis Court)
10:30 Greyhound Racing – Golegã Grand Prix (Equuspolis – South Side)
15:00 National Horse Driving Championship – Cross-Country / Marathon Event (Driving Track next to Hippos Golegã)
15:00 Portuguese Working Equitation Cup – Speed Event (Main Central Arena)
16:00 Portuguese Equestrian Federation Clubs Meeting (Equuspolis – Auditorium)
19:30 Endurance Competitions Award Ceremony (Main Central Arena)
21:30 Show Jumping Competition “6 Bars” – VIII Pedro Faria Trophy (Main Central Arena)
November 8th (Sunday) - Campino Day
08:00 Special National Show Jumping Competition – Events from 0.50m to 1.35m (Hippos Golegã – High Performance Center)
10:00 National Horse Driving Championship – Cones Event (Main Central Arena)
15:00 Campinos Competition – Agricultural Estates – Individual Skill and Precision Test (Main Central Arena)
16:00 Campinos Competition – Agricultural Estates – Cattle Driving Test (Main Central Arena)
18:00 Award Ceremony – Campino Homage (Main Central Arena)
18:00 Book presentation: “Filosofia e Ética da Equitação” by Colonel Nuno Pereira da Silva (Tradition Stage)
November 9th (Monday)
19:00 Presentation of the Equine Management Technician Course of the Golegã Schools Group (Main Central Arena)
November 10th (Tuesday)
08:00 Special Dressage Competition – National and International Levels; Regional Dressage Champions Trophy (Hippos Golegã – High Performance Center)
14:30 Horse Riding Taster Sessions (FEP + TGE Golegã); Open Arena – Eve of Saint Martin’s Day (Main Central Arena)
18:00 Portuguese Equitation Event – Levels B and A; Final of the Side-Saddle Portuguese Equitation Trophy – A and B (Main Central Arena)
21:00 Skill and Precision Competition – Side-Saddle Riders and Horsemen (Main Central Arena)
November 11th (Wednesday) - Saint Martin’s Day & National Native Breeds Day
08:00 Special Dressage Competition – National and International Levels; Regional Dressage Champions Trophy (Hippos Golegã – High Performance Center)
10:00 Presentation of the EUnetHorse project: results and future perspectives – Feedinov (Equuspolis – Auditorium)
11:30 Departure of the Saint Martin’s Pilgrims Procession (Fernão Lourenço Gate)
12:00 Blessing of the Saint Martin’s Pilgrims (Main Church)
12:30 Arrival of the Saint Martin’s Pilgrims Procession (Main Central Arena)
13:00 Side-Saddle Riders Parade (Main Central Arena)
14:00 Presentation of the Portuguese Native Equine Breeds, commented by Prof. António Vicente (Main Central Arena)
14:20 Presentation of the Portuguese Native Dog Breeds (Main Central Arena)
15:00 Unveiling of the commemorative plaque for National Native Breeds Day (Main Central Arena)
16:00 Seminar “Native Breeds of Portugal – Celebrating our Heritage” (Equuspolis – Auditorium)
17:00 Period Horse Driving – Conde de Fontalva Award (Main Central Arena)
20:00 “Proud of Portugal” – Equestrian Presentation (Main Central Arena)
21:00 Marquês de Marialva Trophy – Special Dressage Competition – Intermediate I Kur & Grand Prix Kur (Main Central Arena)
November 12th (Thursday)
09:00 LXVI National Saddle Horse Presentation Competition (FNC) and XXVII International Lusitano Horse Fair Presentation Competition – Breeds: 3-year-old colts presented by hand; 4-year-old and 5-year-old or older horses presented under saddle (Main Central Arena)
10:00 XXVIII Open Golegã FNC – Tennis Open – Qualifying Round (Golegã Tennis Court)
14:00 Presentation Competition – Purebred Lusitano: 3-year-old colts presented by hand; 4-year-old and 5-year-old or older horses presented under saddle (Main Central Arena)
16:00 Meeting on the Future of Training in Portuguese Equestrian Sport (Equuspolis)
19:00 Champion of Champions – Lusitano Breed (Caixa Geral de Depósitos Trophy) and Selected Breeds (Agromais Trophy); Unveiling of the plaque marking the Golegã Fair as Intangible Cultural Heritage; APCRS Tribute to Vítor Frias de Oliveira; Tribute to the Honorary President of the competitions – Félix-Marie Brasseur (Main Central Arena)
21:30 Equestrian Gala – with a special appearance by the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art (Main Central Arena)
November 13th (Friday)
09:00 XXVIII Open Golegã FNC – Tennis Open – Main Draw and Finals (Golegã Tennis Court)
10:00 Final of the National Working Equitation Championship – Dressage Event (Hippos Golegã – High Performance Center)
17:00 Dressage Arena – Reserved for Professional Dressage Riders, with prior registration (Main Central Arena)
18:00 Presentation of the “Geração Talento” (Talent Generation) Dressage Project (Equuspolis)
19:00 Tauromachy Arena – reserved for alternative bullfighting riders / Carlos Relvas Award – Bullfighting Career Distinction – Tribute to Vítor Ribeiro (58 years since “alternativa”), supported by the National Association of Bullfighters (Main Central Arena)
November 14th (Saturday)
09:00 Final of the National Working Equitation Championship – Maneuverability Event (Main Central Arena)
09:00 XXVIII Open Golegã FNC – Tennis Open – Main Draw and Finals (Golegã Tennis Court)
13:30 3rd National Meeting of the Portuguese Society of Equine-Assisted Services (Equuspolis – Auditorium)
14:00 Final of the National Combined Marathon Championship – 1st Round (Hippos Golegã – High Performance Center)
18:30 Golegã 2026 Awards – Distinction for Equestrian Excellence; Award Ceremony of the IX Tradition Trophy (Main Central Arena)
21:00 Final of the National Working Equitation Championship – Speed Event (Main Central Arena)
November 15th (Sunday)
14:00 Final of the National Combined Marathon Championship – 2nd Round (Main Central Arena)
14:30 XXVIII Open Golegã FNC – Tennis Open – Women’s Final (Golegã Tennis Court)
16:00 XXVIII Open Golegã FNC – Tennis Open – Men’s Final (Golegã Tennis Court)
SourceWondering how to get to the venue? It’s pretty simple, the venue is located 130 km from the capital Lisbon, so you have a couple of options:
By Train: (Operated by CP - Comboios de Portugal)
01h 30m – Lisboa – Oriente > Riachos-Torres Novas-Golegã – Regional
01h 00m – Lisboa – Oriente > Entroncamento – Intercidades
Note: None of these will get you directly to Golegã, although they leave you pretty close, with only 5 km to go. You can then take a bus/taxi/uber from where the train stops to Golegã.
By Bus: (Operated by Rede Expressos)
1h 15m - Lisboa (Sete Rios) > Torres Novas
Note: This method of transportation will not get you directly to Golegã, although it will leave you pretty close, with only 14 km to go. You can then take a regional bus/taxi/uber from where the bus stops to Golegã.
By Car: If you have a car available, you can always drive to Golegã, if you need, you can click here for directions, or just click the map above.
From Lisbon: 130 km - 1h 26m
From Porto: 220 km - 2h 11m
From Faro: 330 km - 3h 19m
Note: If you are planning on taking a car we would suggest you take a look at the list of parking lots scattered throughout the village.
There are a multitude of places where you may wish to stay, ranging from camping sites, to hotels, to short-term rentals, there is plenty to choose from. Below is a map of some of the locations you can rent:
Powered by Booking.comMoreover, the official website for the International Lusitano Horse Fair also links to some other places you might find interesting. Check those out as well by clicking here!
Lastly, we would like to provide you with some useful links you might want to access before or during the fair:
*Estimated